The Best Way to Spend a Sunday Afternoon

It's true, we normally write about the new places we've been to lately and tell you, gentle reader, about the food, drinks and merriment of each establishment. Today, however, I'd like to talk to you about an important skill every Happy Hour-er -ess needs to have in their happy hour arsenal.

It all started at my favorite place with a Captain and ginger. My brother, Mista G and myself had all bellied up to the bar.

My next drink was served with a cherry, to which Mista G gave a mischievous grin and grabbed his own cherry out of the garnish tray.

Our tradition is

1. eat the cherry
2. have a cheers with the stems
3. tie them in a knot as fast as our tongues would let us

*Yes this seems like a very middle school type of competition, but boy is it fun.

We competed a couple of times just the two of us then invited my brother to join. We soon invited the lovely bartender Nicole and her husband Steve to compete. A new waitress did the honors of counting down and we were off.

We each shoved the stems in our mouths and started twisting our tongues and faces to try to quickly bend the stem into a knot. After about 20 seconds I finished. Mista G finished next, then Nicole, Steve and my brother lagged behind still fumbling with his stem.

What better way to get everyone at the bar involved and having a good time. We all laughed and those of us who didn't finish last celebrated our victories.

Moral of the story- learn to tie a cherry stem in a knot with your mouth and practice your skill among friends. Everyone loves a little good natured competition... especially when there are drinks involved. This activity is sure to make you laugh and possibly make you some new friends. So the next time you're at happy hour and conversation is going downhill challenge someone to a cherry stem contest.